Micah Richards has hit out at Bruno Fernandes after Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, criticising the midfielder’s ’embarrassing’ reaction to the kick that led to Phil Foden’s sending off.

Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the game in a highly controversial Manchester derby at Old Trafford, in which visitors played the majority of the match with only ten men on the field.

Referee Michael Oliver wasted little time in brandishing a straight red card in the 23rd minute after Foden kicked out at Fernandes, who had nudged the England international with his boot to provoke to reaction.

Marcus Rashford came close to opening the scoring with a speculative long-range free-kick on the stroke of half-time, only for City to break the deadlock on the hour-mark through Haaland.

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The goal was initially ruled out for offside before video assistant referee Matt Donohue reversed the decision – despite questions over Enzo Fernandez’s possible role from an offside position.

City held firm to continue their 100 per cent start in the Premier League after four games and there were animated celebrations at the full-time whistle from last year’s runners-up.

The two contentious incidents were unsurprisingly the main talking points in the Sky Sports studio, with Neville defending the officials’ decision to give Foden his marching orders.

‘We all know what’s happened here, we’ve all been in this situation where the person that was wrong initially then reacts and ends up getting punished,’ the former United and England right-back said.

‘The reason Bruno Fernandes gets away with that and the reason I thought it was a yellow is under the guise that he’s stood up when the ball is on the ground… we see it with goalkeepers sometimes when the forwards come in and kick it.

‘Under the guise of, “I’m trying to get to the ball”, that guise is wrong and you’re sort of saying you can get away with it.

‘Referees sometimes see that four, five times a month, this type of thing where players are trying to do that.

‘I mentioned David Beckham in 1998, it’s so soft and you get reds for those. It doesn’t make it right but I can see the logic in thinking.’

That was when ex-City defender Richards chimed in, ‘What about Bruno Fernandes action… it’s embarrassing!’, to which Neville replied: ‘To be fair, Micah, we can sit here all day long and debate this.

‘I played in a dressing room for 15-20 years and Roy [Keane] might not agree with this or not… but we used to say that if you get kicked in the box, go down and win a penalty.

‘You do try and get players sent off.

‘I know that’s not right but that is what happens in the game. We might not like it!’

Neville’s long-time team-mate and captain, Roy Keane, disputed his claims though, insisting he never intentionally tried to get opposition players sent off during his playing days.

‘I don’t think we tried to get players sent off, I don’t agree with that,’ he said.

‘You might try and win decisions but you wouldn’t dream of trying to get a player sent off.’

Facing the media after the game, Enzo Maresca praised his players for the ‘spirit’ they showed in difficult conditions after Foden was sent for an early bath.

‘With the red card changed our plan a little bit but credit to the players because their effort, the spirit has been brilliant,’ the City head coach told reporters.

‘The moment we go to ten players it changes all the players. At the beginning we wanted to create an overload in the middle but after 23 minutes it changed completely.’

Asked if he thought Foden’s red card was fair, Maresca replied: ‘It can be a red card but in the same action it can be a red card for Bruno. It is what it is.’

‘It changed the plan for us but also changed the plan for them. They are unbelievable in transition and the moment we went to ten men we didn’t give them any transition.

‘The tactical plan is one thing but the main thing today was the effort from the players, outstanding.’

City will look to make it five wins from five in the English top flight when they play host to Sunderland at the Etihad in a week’s time.

The Red Devils, meanwhile, travel to Fulham in search of their second win of the Premier League campaign.

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